Partition device



Feb. 2, 1943. 5, GUSTAFSON ErAL 2,309,396

PARTITION DEVICE Filed July 25, 1941 Patented Feb. 2, 1943 PARTITION DEVICE Bertha .Gustafson, Edmore, Mich, and Sara Geipe, Chicago, Ill.

Application July 25, 1941, Serial No. i04,065

2 Claims. (o1. eat- 22) This invention relates to partition devices and has. for its primary object the provision of a simple structure which may be used to divide the cavity in a container into a multiplicity of smaller sections.

The present application is an improvement over our co-pending application Serial Number 317,330 and which has been allowed July 3, 1941. The principal object of the present invention is to provide on the partition means, locating means which are adapted to be secured to one edge "of a tray or receptacle to which the partition means may be attached.

' Another object of our invention is to provide adjusting means between the elements comprismg. the partition means so as to permit making "the partition means per se wider or narrower in "accordance with requirements which may be necessitated when adapting or'attaching the partition means to a particular tray.

Another object of our invention is to provide spring tension lug means in connection with the tray locating means on the said partition means, in order to permit firm grip and security of the partition means with respect to a'tray to which it may be attached, and yet permit the artition means to be slidably and adjustably positioned with respect to a tray or receptacle and also permit the partition means to be readily removed or attached to the said tray or receptacle.

Another object of our invention is to provide a simple, practical, and useful article which is made of few elements requiring but few manufacturing operations and thus enabling the same to be manufactured very economically.

Other features, objects and advantages of our invention will become apparent by reference to the accompanying drawing and the ensuing description in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of our invention positioned in a tray, the dotted lines indicating adjustability of the partition.

Fig. 2 is a transversal cross-sectional view on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary and enlarged longitudinal cross-sectional view on the line 3-43 of Figure 1.

Fig. 4 is an end view of an improved form of our invention showing its method of attachment to a tray or similar receptacle.

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view on the line 5--5 of Figure 4.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, Figures 1, 2 and 3 illustrate a preferred form of our invention in which our invention is generallv designated 6 and the tray orreceptacle to which it is attached indicated by the numeral 1. The tray 1 may be comprised of a lip section 8, side wall sections 9, a bottom Ill, and the feet H on which it may rest.

Our invention generally designated 5, is comprised of two ears or lu v portions l2, integral parts of the elements l8 and I9 which are arcuately shaped as'indicated at I! and provided with the feet 56. The element It being provided with a female slide portion 2| and theelement l9 being provided with a shank 20 to fit into the said slide portion 2| so that the elements l8 and '19 may be adjustably positioned with respect to each other thus permitting a variance of the dimension within the confines of the said elements [8 and I9.

The tongue or shank 28 fits rather snugly into the slide portion 2| so that any adjustment that is made will be held frictionally in position. No

other means of security being necessary.

The lugsl2 are spaced from the elements l8 and I9 respectively so as to provide an opening l3 and a recessed portion l4 permitting the side portions of the tray or receptacle to be firmly held within the opening l3 between the lugs l2 and the edge l5. The partitioning means 6 may be placed in a tray as indicated in Figures 1 and 2, and by reference to Figure 1, it will be seen how the dotted lines indicate the extent to which the partition means 6 may be adjusted which will permit the tray to be divided into three sections, or if the partition means is placed in one end it will divide the tray into two sections.

The adjustability provided on the partition means and its slidable engagement with respect to a tray or receptacle permits of various permutations and combinations of different dimensioned sections being produced with a tray or receptacle. In other words, if the partition means is placed approximately in a central posi ticn, we will have spaces a, b, and c within the tray. Space a and 0 will be equal. Space b will be subject to adjustment reducing spaces a and 0 respectively. It may be possible, depending on the dimensions of the tra t have space a equal to 1) equal to c. It is also possible to have a space which may be adjusted to any position within the range of adjustment at one end of the tray, and a much larger section at the other end of the tray.

It is possible by virtue of this adjustment feature of the partition device as well as the slidable features and the slidable engagement of the partition means with respect to the tray to obtain many variations of divisions a, b and c respeetively. By manipulation of the adjustment feature of the partition means and by virtue of its slidable positioning within the tray or receptacle, many permutations and combinations of cavity dimensions in relative positions are obtainable.

In Figures 4 and 5 we show a slight modification or improvement of our invention in that the improvement resides primarily in the provision of lugs or tabs 22 made of thesame material and substantially at right angles to the edges IS. The partition element 6 being preferably made of metal or other similar flexible or resilient material, will afford a gripping action against the side portions 9 of a tray and thus tend to hold the partition device 6 more firmly when located in its respective positions within a tray.

The principal feature of the present invention resides in providing a single lug means l2, or lug means I2 on one side only of the partition device, whereas in our application under serial number aforementioned, two sets of lugs were indicated straddling both sides of a tray.

In improving the invention by eliminating one set of lugs, We have made it more universally applicable to a wider range of trays or receptacles so that the location and attachment of the partition on the one side only, has greatly enhanced its value. The partition device also being adjustable oifers other additional advantages which have heretofore been enumerated.

Altho we have described our invention and we disclosed its advantages and purposes, we believe that it is susceptible of many modifications, alterations and improvements, and we hereby reserve the right to all such modifications, alterations and improvements which come within the scope and spirit of our invention illustrated in the accompanying drawing and within the purview of the foregoing description; our invention to be limited only by the appended claims.

Having thus described and revealed our invention what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An article of the character described comprising, a Substantially U shaped structure having open end portions, and made up of two side elements, one side element provided with a tongue portion the other side element provided with a slide portion adapted to secure slidably and adjustably the said tongue portion, the said tongue and slide elements positioned at the bottom edges of the said side elements and substantially at right angles thereto; the said element further provided with tray locating means comprising, tooth portions emanating from one of the side edges of the said side elements, and resilient tab means in juxtaposed relationship with respect to said tooth portions cooperating with said tooth portions in engaging slidably, tensionally and removably one edge of a tray.

2. An article of the character described comprising, a substantially U shaped structure having open end portions, and made up of two side elements, one side element provided with a tongue portion the other side element provided with a slide portion the said tongue and slide elements positioned at the bottom edges of the said side elements and substantially at right angles thereto adapted to secure slidably and 'adjustably the said tongue portion, the said elements further provided with tray locating means comprising, tooth portions emanating from one of the side edges of the said side elements, resilient tab means in juxtaposed relationship with respect to said tooth portions cooperating with said tooth portions in engaging slidably, tensionally and removably one edge of a tray, and feet portions emanating from the base edges of the said side elements.

BERTHA GUST-AFSON. SARA GEIP-E. 

